FAMILY’S GRIEF AT LOSS OF AISLING
19-year-old who died in N11 crash is remembered as bright, determined, funny and loyal
THE heartbroken father of Aisling Dolan – the New Ross teenager who died in an accident outside Enniscorthy on Tuesday – has described her as a bright, determined girl who had her future mapped out and whose smile could light up a room.
Aisling died at the scene of the accident, which left her mother Breda with multiple serious injuries. A garda investigation is under way into the three-vehicle crash.
Aisling was born on April 1, 1999, and it was a running joke with her that she was an April Fool. She was anything but.
Bright, determined, funny and loyal, Aisling loved life and her vivaciousness was infectious, her father John said.
She was the baby of the family, with three older siblings, Joanne, Nathan and
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Niamh, whom she adored.
She attended St Joseph’s NS and went on to St Mary’s Secondary School.
Her heartbroken father John said: ‘She just lived life. She was into everything; her friends, her boyfriend and family were her life.’
He said Aisling loved her time in St Mary’s where she had a great circle of friends.
‘She was absolutely hilarious. She had a brilliant sense of humour and a dry wit. She was at turns clumsy and cheeky, but always determined.’
Aisling studied Childcare in WIT and achieved a remarkable eight distinctions in her end-ofyear exams. She was just after getting work childminding and was going to continue with it for a year or so before going on to study to be a teacher.
‘She knew her mind and knew what she wanted in life. Aisling had a plan. Once she finished college her focus was to look for work as her friends were working and she wanted to have her own money to enjoy the summer.’
John said Aisling was delighted to get some work and had lots of plans for the summer months with her boyfriend Brandon Gardiner.
‘Brandon was the love of her life. They were going out for two to three years, in secret at first as is the way.’
All her dreams were shattered in a matter of seconds on Tuesday shortly after midday.
‘She was on her way to Ferns with Breda to see Breda’s niece’s newborn daughter. They were so excited.’
The car in which Breda and Aisling were travelling was struck by a jeep just beyond the Blackstoops roundabout.
Breda sustained injuries to her spine, elbow and legs. She was taken by air ambulance to hospital in Dublin, where she has undergone several operations.
It is thought she will require a lengthy hospital stay followed by extensive rehabilitation.
‘ The doctors decided not to tell her on the night what happened as the shock could have killed her. She underwent ten hours of surgery on Wednesday and we had Aisling back home in New Ross the following day. I drove to Dublin on Thursday to tell her.’
Such was the extent of her injuries that Breda was unable to attend Aisling’s funeral Mass on Saturday.
John and the Dolan family wish to thank everyone who has been at their side over the past few difficult days, especially their neighbours and their relative Jimmy Conran.
‘We’ve had unbelievable support. The people of the town are just unreal.’
When asked what his abiding memory of Aisling is, John said: ‘Her smile; that and the way she would light up the room. She could make anyone laugh and anyone smile. She had that infectious, positive personality.’